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Pierre-Alexandre Caron, the chef who prepares the takeout dishes at Fou d’Ici, the de Maisonneuve Blvd. grocer that specializes in local products, shared his easy and elegant recipe for scallops with spicy maple sauce. Look for large U-10 scallops at the fishmonger and make sure they are very fresh. Be sure not to overcook them; they should be creamy on the inside.

Pan-Seared Scallops in Spicy Maple-Wine Sauce

Serves 6 as an appetizer

6 slices prosciutto

1 teaspoon maple sugar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 large scallops

1 medium shallot, finely chopped

1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce

1/4 cup 35-per-cent cream

1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lay prosciutto slices on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in a single layer, sprinkle with maple sugar and bake in oven for 10 minutes, or just until crisp. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly, then crumble into small bits.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium-sized frying pan until hot. Pat scallops dry. Being careful not to overcrowd the pan, add scallops to the pan and sear over medium-high heat for two minutes without moving them, until golden brown. Turn and cook another minute or so, until the other side is browned, too. (Be careful not to overcook them. The centres should be slightly translucent and the outsides springy when pressed on.) Remove from heat and transfer scallops to a serving platter or individual appetizer plates.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and sauté the shallot over medium heat until tender, but not browned. Add white wine and cook until reduced by half. Stir in maple syrup, Sriracha sauce, cream and butter and continue cooking for two minutes, until slightly thickened.

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